Nineveh: ISIL Terrified by Iraqi Army’s Advances towards Mosul

An informed official in Nineveh province said Monday that a large number of ISIL’s senior commanders alongside their families have moved to Syrian territories after the recent advance of the Iraqi army and popular forces in Southeastern Nineveh and Northern Salahuddin provinces.

“After liberation of al-Qayyara airbase in Southeastern Nineveh and not very far from Mosul, dozens of ISIL’s senior commanders left the terrorist-held city of Mosul to find safer shelters in Syria’s Eastern territories,” Hesamalddeen al-Adhadh said.

“Mosul is approximately empty of top ISIL commanders,” he said, adding, “Mosul civilian also are ready to help us fight the ISIL occupiers.”

Informed sources said earlier this month that the ISIL terrorist group declared state of alert in Mosul in anticipation of the Iraqi army’s advances and its imminent attack on the city after the Iraqi flag was hoisted in the city center.

After the Iraqi flag was hoisted on Bab al-Toub market in the center of Mosul by unknown parties, the ISIL called its militants to go on alert, the sources said.

They noted that this was for the first time that the ISIL takes such a measure since two years that it captured Mosul city.

“The armed men destroyed the ISIL’s flags and took and made several arrests, taking their prisoners to an unknown place,” sources added.